When somebody gets fever and starts coughing in your family, you kind of low-key panic. You feel dread at the pit of your stomach, screaming “No, no, please no!” inside your head. But behind that, you brace yourself for the worst.
I didn’t have time to ask “why?” when confirmation of the coronavirus’ rude re-entry into our lives was confirmed. My immediate thoughts were, “Thank God, Abby is fully-vaccinated!”, “Her symptoms are mild”, “Thank God, it doesn’t seem to be the Delta variant.”
It was moment after moment of thankfulness, counting the blessings because misfortune paled in comparison next to them.
I pondered at my calmness at accepting this turn of events. After all, it was my beloved daughter who contracted this disease.
I concluded that it was because I have accepted the inevitability of CoViD-19. There seems to be no escaping it. It was going to come, no matter how careful one may be.
Abby had been an exemplary model at observing the health protocols: face mask and face shield worn, as prescribed, all the time, and never without alcohol within her immediate reach. She had only been out to do errands for the family (groceries mostly) and she never socializes at all.
The very few people (including us) she had been with a week prior to the onset of her symptoms all remained asymptomatic, and had tested negative using the rapid antigen test. We eventually tested negative to RT-PCR as well.
So how did it happen? We’ll never know. Where did it happen? Who knows? Robinson’s supermarket? Bank? Church? She could have picked it up anywhere.
My husband also contracted CoViD-19 when he was in Manila last March. It was a harrowing time, with Manila on lockdown, and all hospitals filled to brimming capacity. With God’s grace and the kindness of strangers, I got him admitted to a hospital there where he received treatment, and survived this virus’ onslaught.
Prior to my family becoming sick because of this hateful bug, this pandemic had only been an inconvenience. But when it came, it was brutal. I remember how distraught I was, behind my cheerful facade, as I watched my daughter climb into the government vehicle which took her away to be quarantined. My worries and anxiety, because I couldn’t watch her myself while she was sick, couldn’t be described.
Thankfully, we had the option to let her stay at an accredited hotel, rather than at the quarantine facility where the conditions are not too ideal for a young girl who was going to be on her own.
It was at this point when I had one eureka moment after another. Briefly, it was my discovery that Silliman University is going the extra mile to assist its students with CoViD-19, and that our local government is truly working for us, and helping us, as we wade through this mess a.k.a. pandemic that we are in right now. 
Abby found out, through her clinical instructors at SUCN, that Silliman students are covered for this kind of eventuality by their insurance (we paid the premium automatically upon enrollment).
Furthermore, she learned that Silliman University would accommodate students with CoViD-19 in their campus housing facilities. Meals would also be provided. And it was going to be at no cost to the student because the insurance would cover the fees involved.
The Office of Student Services would also facilitate payment of their hotel bills (if billeted off-campus). That’s what I meant by their going the extra mile. Kudos to our Alma Mater!
As for us who were considered direct contacts of a CoViD-positive person, we were officially placed on home quarantine until cleared of CoViD-19 ourselves. For this, we were scheduled by the barangay nurse for the RT-PCR test.
In the meantime, we couldn’t leave our home, not even for food shopping. But no worries. The City, through our barangay officials, provided all of us with three filling meals a day during the entire duration of our forced seclusion. We received simple meals but our need for basic sustenance was answered.
I wish to thank Mayor Ipe Remollo and everyone involved, including our barangay officials. Their efforts were not lost to me, and I took every spoonful of the meals they brought us, with deep gratitude and appreciation in my heart.
It was the same for Abby at her hotel. Three full meals were provided to her daily through the very commendable efforts of the hardworking men and women in our City Government.
I also learned that a cash assistance in the amount of P5,000 will be given to those who caught the virus. These are the requirements: Barangay Certificate, positive result, Barangay Clearance, and proof that you are a registered voter of Dumaguete.
I was impressed by the efficiency of the system which are in place in managing CoViD cases in our country.
Everything starts at the barangay level. If you have flu-like symptoms, the first thing to do is report your condition to the barangay. Somebody will call, ask questions, and inform you when and where the next round of RT-PCR tests would be conducted. It’s for free. No need to shell out thousands in private institutions, as long as you’re willing to sweat it out in the barangay halls.
Waiting for the result can be excruciating. In the meantime, you are expected to self-isolate.
In our case, the rest of the household initiated voluntary home quarantine. At that point, we didn’t know if we had also contracted the virus. I thought that we should no longer be going around, and risk spreading the disease to more people.
When a positive result comes back, the patient will be taken to the quarantine facility or to a hotel, while direct contacts are placed on home quarantine. They will be advised to take the RT-PCR test, and informed where to go to get it.
To avail of the meals from the City, it is very important that those on home quarantine themselves would inform their barangay office of their quarantine status. The system is not perfect. This is something that they should do themselves.
I did not know about all these before. I am assuming that quite a number of my Dumaguete friends do not know either. I’m writing about our experience now so my fellow Dumagueteños would know that our local leaders are doing what they should be doing, and more!
I look back at those two weeks with thankfulness for everything. Firstly, because Abby got the gentler version of the bug, and because blessings poured down on us amidst what was supposed to be a stormy period of our lives. Friends rallied around us, and remembered us in their prayers. And I finally saw government working for us at the grassroots level. It felt good.
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Author’s email: olgaluciauy@yahoo.com
